- 1when the seed of a plant germinates or is germinated, it starts to grow
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- 2(figurative) An idea for a novel began to germinate in her mind.
germinate
verbNAmE//ˈdʒərməˌneɪt//
[intransitive, transitive] germinate (something)Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they germinate he / she / it germinates
past simple germinated
-ing form germinating
NAmE//ˌdʒərməˈneɪʃn//
noun [uncountable] Keep the seeds in warm, damp conditions to encourage germination.See germinate in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: germinate